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Marie sums up the various strategies that will make up France’s war effort as masterminded by Minister of War Treville and his War Council.

Told by Marie De Chevreuse

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Told by Marie De Chevreuse

Raoul had run away from home after an argument with his brother Rene after the latter’s teasing had got out of hand. He suspects that Rene is his mother’s favourite and is wounded by this. Aramis tracked him down on Athos’ orders, finding him making his way in life as a soldier in a cavalry regiment, and has seconded him to the musketeers. After his father has tersely informed him that he and his brother Rene are to be called up to join the musketeers’ regiment and will be charged with defending the farm and the outlying village. He has had an emotional reunion with his mother now he must face his Aunt Marie. Taken from the RP between @athos_son and @MmeDeChevreuse . Raoul fights back the tears knowing he cannot put off facing his Aunt Marie any longer or he will be late back to the garrison and face the wrath of his father now his commanding officer. He finds her preparing to leave for the Palace and stands sullen faced and silent before her. I turn to confront him stony faced waiting for him to break the silence. He looks down shuffling uneasily, a childlike pout upon his face. Finally he can bear the tension no longer and blurts out “Are you angry with me Aunt Marie?” Not giving an inch I ponder “Angry? Let me think.” I press a pensive finger to my lips. “You accuse your mother of unthinkable things, run off like a coward, break her heart, worry everyone to death and drag your father away from important war work to find you” I raise my voice to the tone and pitch that has terrified many a wayward courtier “OF COURSE I AM ANGRY”

His eyes glaze over with barely contained tears as he remembers the forthright nature of my censure of childhood transgressions. In response to the impending emotional maelstrom roiling in his adolescent chest he flings his arms around my waste before burying his face into my shoulder. “Not a coward” he pleads in a muffled voice. The anger that has sustained me throughout the days that he has been missing suddenly ebbs away in the face of his vulnerability and leaves me completely drained. Cradling him comfortingly in my arms as I have so many times in his childhood I hold him tightly and wail “Why Raoul, why?” From the sanctuary of my arms the reply comes “I wanted to show you all that I was just as good as Rene and could look after myself” He looks up at me tears of relief trickling down his face “….and I wanted to show Father that I am not a boy anymore” He reinforces that last comment with the affirmation “I’m not – I’m really not! You do understand don’t you?”

Pausing briefly to wipe away my own tears I say “You are every bit as good as your brother, no one thinks otherwise. “Your father, damn that man’s inability to show his feelings, is bursting with pride for you. At least he was – now you need to prove yourself. Running away was the action of a boy. A man would have stayed and defended his women. So that is what you will do now. You will train hard and become the best you possibly can and defend us with pride.” Gently cupping your damp face and tenderly kissing your forehead I continue “You made a mistake, everyone does, you shall learn from it learn from it and become a better man” He blinks away the tears and nods his head in agreement. A guilty smile paints his face as he declares “We are going to be musketeers” He wipes his nose on his sleeve and sniffs “I have to get back to the garrison or I shall be in trouble with my commanding officer” This time his smile is full of pride “My father.” I return his smile before affirming his declaration “No finer commanding officer. Beware he has exacting standards – hard but fair – if he seems especially hard on you and Rene if it is because he is especially proud of you two. He wants you to be the finest musketeers the regiment has ever known.” Now run along you don’t want to start your illustrious career by being late” I watch him off to start this new chapter in your life hopefully a little happier for our talk.

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Taken from the RP between @athos_son and @MmeDeChevreuse
. Told by Marie De Chevreuse

Raoul idolises his father. Athos loves and takes great pride in his son but finds it hard to express his feelings. In his mind Raoul should know how he feels. Both Raoul and his brother Rene have misinterpreted their mother’s sadness each time Athos returns to his duties at the garrison and Marie to hers at the Palace, which happen to coincide, as proof of an affair between the two. The following encounter between Raoul and his Aunt Marie takes place after an altercation between Athos and Raoul.

At the moment the house is quiet. Athos and Ninon have retired early and heaven knows where the boys are. Rene is out somewhere and Raoul is away sulking so I relish the peace. The door opens and Raoul slopes in glowing from his bath dressed in clean apparel. A deep scowl cuts across his young brows so reminiscent of those so often expressed on his father’s. He joins me on the sofa in front of the fire and without a word lays his head upon my lap. I continue staring into the fire looking for images just like I did as a child. I gently stroke his hair and wait to see if he wants to talk. He joins me staring into the flames and seems somewhat soothed by my gentle touch. Is he looking for answers in the flames?

Realising he won’t or can’t ask the questions he so desperately needs the answers to I take a deep breath and with trepidation decide to initiate what may well prove be a difficult conversation. “Your father does love you – he just can’t show it. No, don’t say anything, just listen. In his past he has been so wounded that he has built a citadel around his heart to protect it. The problem is those walls also stop him from sharing its contents with those he loves the most.” In an attempt to deflect the conversation away from this most painful subject, the source of the rawness in his own heart, he asks “What do you do in Paris?” I answer “I am the Surintendante of the Queen Regent’s Household, her confidante and I hope she would consider me to be her friend.” He responds “Oh” then asks the question that he really burns to have answered “Do you love my father?” I reply honestly “Yes, as a friend… no, more like a brother.” He rolls over onto his back and looks up at me with the same coldness on his face that I have witnessed countless times on his father’s. The likeness momentarily takes my breath away. I gaze directly down into Athos’ viridian eyes looking up at me out of his son’s face emphasising the sincerity of my  Assertion. “He’s a good man, an honourable man. He would lay down his life in defence of those in his charge, face down any danger with never a thought of his own safety. The soldiering, the fighting comes easily to him. Before your mother came into his life I truly believe he didn’t care if he lived or died. She saved him and now he lives for her and for you and Rene. That love and its expression, the very thing that we would treasure most, terrifies him and the possibility of losing it even more so. That is his tragedy. …and yours….” My eyes drift towards the door of the master bedroom “ ….and hers”

The subject is too painful for him, his feelings too raw. The coldness is replaced by a look of almost angelic innocence. “May I have some warm milk please?” is his plea. I look down with affection upon the image of the man we have just been discussing and sense this is not the time to pursue this topic any further. “Of course” I say brightly “There’s some apple pie left if you would like some”

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